DOBIS and NOTIS: A Contrast in Design

Abstract

NOTIS and DOBIS are both designed to be technically and functionally integrated. The online catalog is the heart of each system, and all functions interact with a single set of bibliographic files. Both systems are mutually dedicated to the use of similar equipment and standard IBM software products. Apart from these similarities, however, the two systems vary fundamentally in design, each reflecting its distinctive origins. NOTIS was developed in the United States at a time when MARC tape distribution service was already well established. DOBIS was developed in Europe, where machine‐readable bibliographic resource sharing had not yet been established. The design objectives of the two systems emerged logically from these environments.